Drinks brands including Heineken, Red Bull, Jack Daniel’s, PATRÓN Tequila, Patient Wolf, Idle Hour, Coca Cola, Jim Beam, Canadian Club and Champagne Taittinger are celebrating their successful 2023 Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix partnerships.

The event set a new Melbourne attendance record, with a four-day crowd at Albert Park of 444,631, surpassing the 2022 figure by 25,517. It was also the biggest event attendance figure for the 2022 season as a whole, ahead of the 440,000 that attended the Circuit of The Americas over three days for the United States Grand Prix.

Melbourne’s Thursday crowd was 60,832, the highest since 2014, while both Friday and Saturday produced day records of 122,927 and 129,748, respectively. Sunday’s official attendance figure was 131,124, the second-highest Sunday figure on record, and beating last year’s race day figure by 2830.

Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said: “Hundreds of thousands of fans from all around the world poured through the gates here at Albert Park – delivering a huge win for local businesses and jobs.”

“There’s never been a better time to visit Melbourne because there is something for every taste – from comedy shows, food festivals, art exhibitions and live music.”

Australian Grand Prix sales and commercial general manager Darian Misko told The Age sponsors were keen to attract some of the event’s growing audience in part inspired by the Netflix series Drive to Survive.

“Everyone wants to be part of the hype around F1 at the moment,” he said. “Our audience is not just the motorsport enthusiast any more, there’s sports fans and families, there’s premium seekers and young event goers.”

Double World Champion Max Verstappen finally added Albert Park to the list of circuit at which he has triumphed, taking a narrow win in the final race.

In the Supercars, a second win for Red Bull Ampol driver Broc Feeney headlined a rout for Chevrolet Camaro drivers, who filled the top five placings in the fourth and final race of the weekend.

There was plenty of action off the track too as fans flocked to Albert Park to enjoy the race, plus the parties and activations in Melbourne.

The celebrations started at the Glamour on the Grid party on March 29 in the Marriott Bonvoy Lounge (click here for a video glimpse). Alongside the 14,000 canapes served at the event to 700 guests, there was free-flowing Taittinger champagne, plus Patrón Margaritas in mini Patrón bottles and Lavazza Espresso Martinis.

Designed to encapsulate the essence of Marriott’s suite of Melbourne properties, the design of the lounge included plush seating options, multiple bars with premium beverage offerings from the event’s drinks partners.

Heineken 0.0 celebrated its second year as title sponsor of the event and captivated the crowds on Heineken Saturday.

Jack Daniel’s celebrated McLaren Formula 1 Team and Melbourne’s Oscar Piastri’s first home race.

The brand also hosted a bar at the event.

And treated race lovers to the Papaya Pit-Stop,  which it described as “the ultimate ode to McLaren Formula 1 Team’s presence in the city and its multi-year partnership debut with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey”.

Patrón Tequila hosted a Premium Suite inside the exclusive Paddock Club. Sitting above the team garages, it offered spectacular views of the pits and track.

Alongside the array of tequila cocktails on offer, there were Mexican-inspired savoury canapés and sweets.

Idle Hour said it was honoured to once again be part of the “amazing sporting and cultural spectacle” as Official Vodka partner.

The brand partnered with Victorian-based abstract artist Prudence Caroline to deliver a deliver “an even more elevated experience” at the event, commissioning a live art installation that will see a large-scale blank mural transform over the course of the four days of the Formula 1 into a one-of-a-kind piece of art before racegoers eyes. 

“We were serving up delicious vodka cocktails at the Idle Hour Lounge while patrons witnessed Victorian artist Prudence Caroline create a stunning piece over the weekend,” the brand said.

“Rain or shine, the atmosphere was electric. Thanks to all that stopped by to waste time well with us. We can’t wait to be back again in 2024!”

Redbull created a new experience for guests at the event, the Redbull Energy Station Melbourne.

Located right outside the pit exit, the multi-story, custom-built structure offered drinks including the Redbull Shoey Cocktail. Drinks were created by Sweet & Chilli.